Chapter 357: I'll Kill Them and Retire Today

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Brawling King heard the words 'the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult' and leaped high into the air, scanning his surroundings.

He descended to his original spot only after confirming no one was around. His reaction alone showed how much he was wary of the Demonic Cult.

"Why the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult?"

For the Brawling King, this was the appearance of someone he never expected.

Hyeok Sagun, however, knew a fair amount about the relationship between Geom Mugeuk and Bi Sayin.

"I understand the two formed a connection while engaging in activities outside the alliance."

The Brawling King was surprised, but his past questions were suddenly answered.

The assassins' annihilation, his own identity's exposure, the Light Flash's failure. When he factored the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult into those questions, the answer came easily.

"Right, that could be it."

The Brawling King had also heard rumors about how outstanding this particular Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult was.

"Do you know where they are now?"

"They're hiding in a safehouse near the Headquarters."

Since he held the role of Head Strategist, he knew the safehouse's location and who had come to stay there.

"Is the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult with them?"

"No, he's currently with the Evil Eccentric."

The Young Alliance Chairman was hiding in a safehouse pretending to be dead, while the Young Cult Leader was probably digging into his background.

"What should we do?"

Hyeok Sagun was the only person whose opinion the Brawling King ever asked. The Brawling King highly regarded his intelligent and level-headed abilities.

Above all, Hyeok Sagun knew exactly what he wanted. He would read his intentions and formulate plans accordingly.

"Since the Young Alliance Chairman wishes to be a dead man, we must kill him."

Furthermore, his ability to execute was exceptional. He handled matters he was certain about first and reported later. He was that confident.

"I've already sent people."

"It won't be easy with the Evil Eccentric there, will it? Who did you send?"

Hyeok Sagun revealed the names of those who would resolve this situation.

"I sent the Hellish Dual Swords."

They were figures just as unexpected as the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.

"They were still alive?"

They were individuals who had earned a formidable and infamous reputation in the unorthodox sects murim.

They too were masters who had belonged to the Seven Evil Masters. It was known that after committing all sorts of evil deeds, they were branded a public enemy of the murim, trapped by the Murim Alliance's perimeter, and killed in a joint attack.

"It seems our alliance smuggled them out just before they died. They've been used in secret by the alliance since then. I only found out recently after taking the job of Head Strategist."

He had faith that the Hellish Dual Swords could kill the Evil Eccentric and Bi Sayin.

"Finding out they're in a safehouse, using the Hellish Dual Swords. Won't your involvement become a problem later?"

Hyeok Sagun made such worries seem like baseless fears.

"Would a busy man like myself have the time to plot such a thing?"

One could tell from his meaningful smile. He had someone else prepared to take the fall for this incident. He would also eliminate a political rival who was a thorn in his side.

Hyeok Sagun's handling of the matter was not just perfect on the Young Alliance Chairman's side. The countermeasures against Geom Mugeuk were already complete.

"The problem is the Young Cult Leader. We must not kill him under any circumstances. If we do, all our plans will get tangled. We have to send him back to the Divine Cult."

The Brawling King nodded with an expression that showed he thought the same.

"Do you have a method in mind?"

"There are two ways. The first is to send him back by force. To defeat him without killing him, you, Liege, would have to step in personally."

"What if he resists to the end?"

He was confident he could win against the Young Cult Leader. The problem was if he refused to leave, using the Demonic Cult as his backing.

"I doubt he's genuinely helping the Young Alliance Chairman. He must have some ulterior motive. He'll back out once he feels his own life is in danger."

"And the second method?"

"We use the Evil Alliance Chairman to send him back. Right now, the Evil Alliance Chairman doesn't know that the Young Alliance Chairman is maintaining such a deep friendship with Geom Mugeuk. Once he finds out, he'll definitely send the Young Cult Leader back. The Young Alliance Chairman will get a severe scolding."

He had been deliberately blocking the information to use it at a decisive moment.

"If it were you, which method would you choose?"

"The second method is safer and more certain."

"Then why did you mention the first method first?"

"Because I know it's the method you desire, Liege."

The Brawling King smiled with satisfaction.

"I look forward to our future together."

What he had given him was the position of Head Strategist. What he was now to receive was the position of the Evil Alliance Chairman.

The Brawling King had recruited Hyeok Sagun a long time ago. Without the Brawling King's material and moral support, he would never have risen to the position of vice strategist.

There had been several decisive moments in Hyeok Sagun's life that would determine his fate. He was smart, but was he the only smart one among the strategists?

The Brawling King had eliminated those who would have become powerful competitors in advance. They died from illness, and they died in accidents. Because it was done slowly over time, it was never discovered.

"Proceed with the second method."

"Yes. I'll move the Evil Alliance Chairman to send the Young Cult Leader back first."

Hyeok Sagun put on his bamboo hat again.

"Then, please take care of yourself until we meet again."

Hyeok Sagun slowly walked away and left the place.

Left alone, the Brawling King looked up at the moon again.

"Young Alliance Chairman, you'll die today as you wished. No, perhaps you're already dead?"

When the moon set, the sun would rise.

Bi Sayin and the Evil Eccentric were staying at the safehouse.

It was late at night, but neither of them could sleep. They sat in a small pavilion in the courtyard, drinking tea.

Though he appeared calm, Bi Sayin's mind was completely preoccupied with the current situation.

Will Geom Mugeuk find out who's behind this? How will the Evil Alliance Chairman view my handling of this matter? Just how strong is Hwang Seokgyeong? All sorts of thoughts surfaced, complicating his mind.

Perhaps moved by the faint moonlight, the Evil Eccentric made a carefree remark.

"When I retire, I'd like to live in seclusion in a place like this."

The Evil Eccentric seemed to like this place. It was difficult to find from the outside, and the inside was secluded and elegant.

"You should buy a house in a place with better scenery."

At that, the Evil Eccentric shook his head.

"Perhaps because I've lived a life where I've made many enemies, being in a closed-off place like this where no one knows about it actually puts my mind at ease."

This place certainly gave off a feeling of safety.

"Young Alliance Chairman."

"Yes, Senior."

"Don't forget your promise."

"On the day I become Chairman, I'll give you the manual for the Three Strikes of the Ghost Shadows."

This was the reason the Evil Eccentric was risking his life to help Bi Sayin. When Bi Sayin answered readily, the Evil Eccentric finally offered a piece of advice.

"Listen, Young Alliance Chairman. Don't be fooled by another's kindness. Everyone has a dark heart."

He was telling him not to trust Geom Mugeuk. A life debt was a life debt, but one should also be suspicious when necessary.

How could Bi Sayin not know what he was worried about? Geom Mugeuk was a person he himself was worried about.

"I'll keep that in mind."

After answering politely, Bi Sayin asked a question.

"There's something I'd like to ask you, Senior."

"Go ahead."

"You've already ascended to the Seven Evil Masters, so is there a reason you wish to become even stronger?"

He had thought perhaps he dreamed of becoming world number one, or the strongest under the heavens, but that was not it. As the Evil Eccentric looked down at his empty teacup, his eyes filled with rage.

"It's because there are people I want to kill."

"Who are they?"

Just as the Evil Eccentric hesitated to answer, the gate leading from the courtyard to the outer grounds opened, and someone appeared. It was the martial artist who managed the safehouse.

The moment they saw him, Bi Sayin and the Evil Eccentric shot to their feet.

The martial artist, reeking of the hot stench of blood, collapsed. His back was stained crimson.

Two men walked in, stepping over the corpse.

Recognizing them, the Evil Eccentric's expression hardened coldly.

"The Hellish Dual Swords!"

Bi Sayin was startled at the Evil Eccentric's words.

The Hellish Dual Swords were men who had once made the murim tremble in fear.

The King Yama Sword and the Thousand Armed Sword.

Together, the two were called the Hellish Dual Swords.

They seemed similar, yet their auras were completely different.

If the King Yama Sword had a rough and powerful feel, the Thousand Armed Sword seemed cold and flawless, without a single opening.

What surprised Bi Sayin was not that his opponents were the Hellish Dual Swords.

How in the world did they find this place?

It was impossible for this secret location to be breached. In other words, the Evil Alliance's security system had been breached.

The Hellish Dual Swords also recognized the Evil Eccentric.

"Has it been ten years?"

The Evil Eccentric answered the King Yama Sword's question.

"It's been twelve years."

The Evil Eccentric remembered their last meeting precisely.

"For the sake of our old acquaintance, Junior, you should leave."

They were younger, but they called the Evil Eccentric 'Junior'. This was because when the Evil Eccentric had risen to the rank of the Seven Evil Masters, they had already been among the Seven Evil Masters before him.

The two of them occupied one spot among the seven great masters under the name the Hellish Dual Swords, but each of them had the skill to occupy a spot on their own. They were not one combined entity.

That was why they were considered the strongest among the seven great masters. If their swords had not dulled, this fight would be hopeless.

Bi Sayin could feel the Evil Eccentric's conflict. He could tell the skill of the Hellish Dual Swords from it.

Even the Evil Eccentric isn't confident he can handle them.

A heartless decision soon followed.

"Young Alliance Chairman, please understand."

What those words meant was this. I'm leaving, so you die here.

How could you be so cowardly?

He could have shot back coldly, or he could have begged him to save his life.

But Bi Sayin did not. He felt he certainly would have in the past. Why were these words coming out?

"I'm sorry that I won't be able to give you the manual with my own hands. I hope you safely kill those you wish to kill."

He was not this kind of person.

Trying to be cool even when I'm about to die? This is something Geom Mugeuk would say. Ah, I might have really been influenced by him. Geom Mugeuk would survive 멋지게 even while acting this leisurely, but I'll end up dead.

Bi Sayin did not feel disappointed or betrayed. Those were feelings one felt only from someone they deeply trusted.

In the past, he would have regretted it at this moment. I should have just reported everything to the Chairman from the start. He did not even feel that regret.

I've definitely changed!

That is why he felt a sense of loss. Life-threatening crises kept coming, and each time, he felt regret. He wanted to live longer and feel himself change. He wanted to show that change to him.

And so he wished again.

He wished that, like a lie, Geom Mugeuk would be perched on that wall, smiling and saying something like this.

If we survive this time, let's really dance.

But today, of all days, such a thing would not happen. Because he was in a truly safe safehouse. A place where there was no reason for him to come running.

The Evil Eccentric stared at Bi Sayin for a moment, then turned his back and walked away.

The Hellish Dual Swords silently watched him pass.

The moment the Evil Eccentric brushed past the two men.

SHWIIIIK!

HWAAAANG!

The Evil Eccentric and the Hellish Dual Swords simultaneously spun around and unleashed a sword strike and a dual palm strike at each other.

Though he pretended to abandon Bi Sayin and leave, the Evil Eccentric knew. He knew they were letting him go so they could ambush and kill him easily. He knew better than anyone what kind of men they were.

"……"

With a loud explosion, they were all pushed back.

The Hellish Dual Swords retreated three steps, while the Evil Eccentric, who had faced both of their inner arts, was pushed back a full seven steps.

"Your cowardly tricks are the same as ever."

The King Yama Sword sneered at the Evil Eccentric's mockery.

"You're still as quick-witted as a rat."

The Evil Eccentric leaped through the air and landed next to Bi Sayin.

Bi Sayin was surprised and moved that he had come toward him instead of running away.

"Why did you come this way?"

When they exchanged blows just now, he could have ridden the momentum and leaped over the wall to escape.

Then the Hellish Dual Swords would have split up, one chasing the Evil Eccentric while the other tried to kill him.

Or they could have let the Evil Eccentric go and finished things by just killing him. After all, he was likely their target for today.

Whatever situation unfolded, his chances of survival would have been greater than now. There was no way the Evil Eccentric did not know that.

"Earlier, you asked who I wanted to kill after becoming stronger, right?"

Only then did Bi Sayin understand. The people he wanted to kill were the Hellish Dual Swords.

"Then shouldn't you have left even more so?"

He must have wanted the Three Strikes of the Ghost Shadows manual because he believed he could not win yet.

The Evil Eccentric let out a light sigh. He was right. As he could tell from their clash just now, he still could not beat them.

The skill gap between Bi Sayin and them would be even greater. In the end, it was an unwinnable fight.

So why did he stay? Leaving the Young Alliance Chairman of the Evil Alliance to die bothered him, but there was a bigger reason.

This is all because of the Light Flash.

He felt dirty after being betrayed by the Light Flash. He had been cursing him out this whole time, but if he ran away like this, he would be no different from him.

If Bi Sayin had said something cold or cursed at him, he might have run away after that exchange of blows.

But seeing him send him off with kind words, he ultimately could not leave. He should not have advised him not to be fooled by kindness.

"Because I want to receive the manual from you."

Bi Sayin could not tell. Had the man changed because he was about to die? Or had he changed because his own attitude toward him had changed?

He thought that the ways of people were truly unknowable.

"If I'd known it would come to this, I would've stolen that manual and given it to you sooner."

The Evil Eccentric clenched both his fists tightly. An immense aura, one that had resolved for death, flowed out from him.

"I don't need it anymore. I'm going to kill them and retire as of today."

Bi Sayin slowly drew his sword. A sharp chill emanated from its blade.

"On the day of your Golden Basin Handwashing, I'll prepare the largest and most splendid golden basin in the jianghu."

"And if I can just survive today… I'll dance on that day, too."